Culture Minister demands removal of Arab committee chairwoman

Culture and Sport Minister Miri Regev (Likud) spoke with Knesset Chairman Yuli Edelstein on Wednesday, urging him to remove MK Aida Touma-Suleiman (Joint List) from her position as chairwoman of the Committee on the Status of Women and Gender Equality following her refusal to hold a committee meeting regarding women in the IDF.

“This is a dangerous precedent that disgraces the Israeli Knesset,” said Regev, adding that “we cannot let this matter go. The Knesset Chairman must immediately remove her from her position.”

On Tuesday Channel 2 reported that the Committee chaired by Touma-Suleiman would not be holding any meetings on a day marked by the Knesset in recognition of female soldiers in the IDF, planned for mid-July.

Despite requests to hold deliberations on issues related to women serving in the army, Touma-Suleiman refused calls to convene the committee. MKs Meirav Ben Ari (Kulanu), Aliza Lavi (Yesh Atid), and Shuli Muallem (Jewish Home) all called upon the chairwoman to hold discussions on pertinent issues facing women in the IDF, but were rebuffed.

Touma-Suleiman explained her refusal to hold meetings on the subject, saying “I never served in the army, no one around me served in the army, I don’t know what the problems are there and this is not part of my agenda.”